This invention relates to a new device that can re-ink used and blurred typewriter ribbons. Almost all typewriter ribbon manufacturers make ribbons on different color basis such as: two-color; red and black; pure black or pure red, wound on the hub of a standard ribbon spool. It is wound on the hub by means of a hook and a reversing eyelet which is placed a few inches away. A few inches near the other end, another eyelet is installed. The ribbon spool has a small hole in the center that passes through the hub.
To install a new ribbon, both spools are removed from the ribbon spool shafts of a typewriter machine. The new ribbon is engaged or hooked in the hub of the empty spool. A few turns of the ribbon is wound on to the empty spool, in the same direction as it comes off the full spool. It should also be noted that the reversing eyelet has been wound up on the empty spool. These two spools are placed on the ribbon spool shafts, so that the ribbon on the right spool comes off the right side and ribbon on the left spool comes off the left side without twisting. The ribbon is then wound around the ribbon rollers through reverse lever slots and finally aligned on the ribbon guide which is in path of the type pallets. The ribbon is wound onto the empty spool by means of the feed ratchet and ribbon detent mechanism in the typewriter. It reverses its movement when the reversing eyelet catches the reversing slots that moves sideways. When this moves, a detent lever is released. The movement of the detent lever releases the feed pawl which engages a tooth of the feed ratchet.
For every character that is pressed manually or electrically, the feed pawl advances a tooth of the feed ratchet. This system of feeding and unwinding the ribbon on the spools is due to the individual operation of the feed pawl. If the feed pawl is engaged with the feed ratchet, then it winds the ribbon and if the feed pawl is out of engagement with the ratchet, the ribbon unwinds. This works automatically feeding the ribbon back and forth until the ribbon becomes blurred. This is the time the device according to the present invention performs its operation.